


To Do What Is Right

by BastRavenshadow



Category: National Treasure (2004)
Genre: F/M, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2005-12-07
Updated: 2005-12-07
Packaged: 2018-01-25 07:17:10
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,410
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1638482
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BastRavenshadow/pseuds/BastRavenshadow
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Ben Gates does what is considered wrong, in order to do what he knows is right.</p>
            </blockquote>





	To Do What Is Right

**Author's Note:**

> Written for tosca

__  
A toast yeah? To High Treason. That's what these men were committing when they signed the Declaration. Had they lost more they would have been hanged, beheaded, drawn and quartered and oh, oh, my personal favourite, had their entrails cut out and burned! So, here's to the men who did what was considered wrong, in order to do what they knew was right. What they knew was right.  
Ben Gates, _National Treasure_

Ben Gates watched as Abigail Chase set the last box inside her Mercedes, and turned to look at him. She tried to smile, but it came out crooked. She bit her lip and he walked across the few feet to where she stood.

"I'm sorry, Abigail," Ben murmured, putting his hand on her arm.

She shook her head. "No. Don't be. We both know it's what's right. Remember what you said to me? 'Here's to the men who did what was considered wrong, in order to do what they knew was right'?"

"I remember," Ben said around the lump in his throat. He'd always hated goodbyes. But Abigail was right; he had to do what was considered 'wrong' to do what was right. What was right for him, and Abigail, and Riley.

He stood there, his arms crossed, and watched as she drove away. Then he went into the house and started dinner. Riley would be home from the university in an hour, and he wanted to have everything perfect.

This was his last chance to make everything right between them.

++++

Riley Poole drove at a snail's pace up the long drive towards the house he shared with Ben and Abigail. He almost hated going home now. He hated seeing Abigail smiling at Ben over dinner. He hated the way Ben seemed to have forgotten about him, about their friendship... about the fact that they had been moving towards something more, Riley thought. But then Ben had met Miss Hottie. And how could Riley compare to her?

Especially when Patrick Gates approved of her.

Riley frowned as he pulled into the garage. He knew Ben wanted to please his father. It was only natural. But....

As he stepped out of his car, he realised that Abigail's car was gone. He wondered if she and Ben had gone out for the evening.

Resigning himself to a cold turkey sandwich or maybe a frozen pizza for dinner, he hauled his laptop case out of the back of his convertible. The last thing he was expecting was for Ben to open the door from the house to the garage... and to actually look happy to see him.

He smiled back, feeling a little uncertain. "Hi, Ben."

"Hi, Riley," Ben said, in that quiet voice of his. "How was your day?"

"Um..." Riley stared at Ben. Was this pod person Ben? Or what? "Okay."

He followed Ben into the kitchen, taking off his jacket and setting his laptop case down by the bar. Then he caught sight of the dining room and stared. The table was set with candles in those fancy candleholders that Ben had found at some estate auction and the nice dishes, and his throat tightened. Obviously Abigail had run out for wine, or -

"Abigail moved out today, Riley," Ben said from behind him, putting his hand on Riley's back, startling him so badly he jumped. "Riley? What's wrong?"

"She - what?" Riley swung around and looked at Ben. "Nothing. Nothing's wrong. I'm fine. Then who's that for?" he asked, gesturing towards the dining room.

"For us. I want to talk to you." Ben led him into the dining room, and Riley felt like he was in some kind of weird dream. He sat down and just stared at his friend for a moment before he helped himself to the food on the table. It all looked great. Ben was saying something and Riley dragged his mind off of the food and onto what Ben was saying.

"- so if you'd give me a chance, I'd -"

Riley realised he'd missed something. "What?" At Ben's confused look, he elucidated, "I missed the first part."

"I said, I'm sorry I screwed up, that I ignored you in favour of her. And that if you'd give me a chance, I'd make it up to you," Ben said firmly.

Riley dropped his fork and he knew his mouth was hanging open, but he couldn't help it. "What? What about your dad?"

"My dad..." Ben sighed, looking down at his plate as he shook his head. "He's just going to have to accept it, or not. I don't want to lose you."

"Oh." Riley stared down at the slice of ham on his plate and began to cut it into squares. He'd have to think about this, for a little bit. "Dinner looks great."

"Thanks," Ben said with a smile. "Glad you like it."

+++++

Ben watched Riley during dinner, wondering what Riley thought about what he'd said. He hadn't said yes, and he hadn't said no. So Ben was hopeful that Riley was, at least, considering it.

"Want to watch a movie?" Riley asked as he stood and started to clear the table.

"Sure. Don't worry about this," Ben said, putting his hand over Riley's. "I'll clean it up. You go and get out of your work clothes, and I'll meet you in the living room, okay?"

Riley smiled, and headed off to his bedroom.

Ben blew out the candles in the girandoles and took the dishes into the kitchen, putting them in the sink to soak before he put the leftovers away. Then he headed off to the living room. Riley was sitting on the couch, wearing a t-shirt and flannel pyjama bottoms, paging through a magazine that he set aside when Ben came into the room.

"What do you want to watch?" Ben asked, looking over the racks of the DVDs, trying to pick something that Riley would like.

"Whatever." Riley grabbed the universal remote and began pushing buttons, lighting up their entertainment centre.

"You know, you're the only one who can operate that thing," Ben said wryly, putting a DVD in the player.

Riley just grinned and settled back into the couch. Ben sat down at the other end and Riley looked over at him. "Why are you over there?"

Ben smiled and slid over next to Riley, slipping his arm around him. Obviously, Riley had decided to give him another chance.

By the time the movie was over, Riley was asleep, leaning against him, drooling a little on his shirt. Ben smiled and shook Riley awake. "Riley? Wake up, okay? It's time for bed."

"Mmmph," Riley shook his head and snuggled closer.

"Riley..."

"I'll go to bed if you come with me."

Ben smiled. "Okay."

+++++

Riley yawned as he climbed into bed. Gods, he was tired. He looked at the clock by his bed as he snuggled under the comforter. It was only a little after ten. He was getting old.

Ben would be along in a minute, and they'd have the whole weekend to fool around. Riley sure hoped Ben wouldn't change his mind. "Please don't change your mind," he whispered, closing his eyes. "Please don't."

When the bedroom door opened, Riley cracked open his eyes and peered at Ben.

"Sorry, I guess I'm kind of nervous," Ben said, standing by his side of the bed.

Oh God, he's changing his mind, Riley thought.

Something must have shown on his face, because Ben sort of smiled. "I'm not changing my mind. I'm just -"

"Ben, just get in bed," Riley ordered. Ben did and Riley smiled, turning onto his side to face Ben. It felt good to be the boss sometimes.

Ben smiled back and tugged at him, so Riley let himself be pulled closer.

Ben's hands were warm on his skin, and before long they were kissing and rolling all over Riley's bed, t-shirts shoved up, pyjama bottoms shoved partially down. Thrusting together, their mouths sealed together as their hands roamed across half-bare skin, they made love for the very first time - but not for the last.

Later that night, Ben rested his head on Riley's chest, drawing invisible patterns on Riley's stomach with his fingertips. "This is what is right," he murmured. "I knew this would be what was right. For both of us."

Riley nodded, stroking Ben's back gently, and together, they drifted to sleep, secure that this was right for both of them. There was no wrong.

~ fin ~

 

 

 


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